Apparatus for contaminants being deposited thereon

Abstract

An apparatus for contaminants being deposited thereon in a particle beam device, and also the particle beam device including the apparatus, are provided. This apparatus may be an anticontaminator. The apparatus according to the system described herein may include at least one cooling unit. The cooling unit may provide at least one cooled surface on which contaminants in a particle beam device are deposited. The apparatus according to the system described herein may further include at least one aperture unit. The aperture unit may be arranged at a motion device for moving the aperture unit relative to the cooling unit. Furthermore, the aperture unit may have at least one aperture opening. The cooling unit may be connected to the aperture unit by at least one first flexible thermal conductor.

1 . An apparatus for contaminants being deposited thereon in a particle beam device, comprising:
 at least one cooling unit;   at least one aperture unit; and   at least one motion device for moving said aperture unit relative to the cooling unit, wherein said aperture unit is arranged at the motion device, wherein said aperture unit has at least one aperture opening, and wherein said cooling unit is connected to said aperture unit by at least one first flexible thermal conductor.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said cooling unit is exclusively connected to said aperture unit by said at least one first flexible thermal conductor, and wherein said cooling unit is otherwise entirely spatially separated from said aperture unit. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one of the following features:
 (i) said aperture unit is movable along at least one first translational axis,   (ii) said aperture unit is movable along at least one second translational axis,   (iii) said aperture unit is movable along at least one third translational axis, or   (iv) said aperture unit is rotatable around at least one rotational axis.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a thermal isolator is arranged between said aperture unit and said motion device. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said cooling unit comprises at least one cooling surface for contaminants being deposited thereon, wherein said cooling surface is connected to a cooling device, and wherein a container for holding a cooling solvent is arranged at said cooling device. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein said cooling solvent is a cryogen. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said cooling unit comprises at least one first cooling surface unit and at least one second cooling surface unit, said first cooling surface unit is connected to a cooling device, and wherein a container for holding a cooling solvent is arranged at said cooling device. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein said cooling solvent is a cryogen. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said cooling unit is connected to said aperture unit additionally by at least one second flexible thermal conductor. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one of the following:
 (i) said first flexible thermal conductor is a braided tape, or   (ii) said first flexible thermal conductor is a copper conductor.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , further comprising at least one of the following:
 (i) said second flexible thermal conductor is a braided tape, or   (ii) said second flexible thermal conductor is a copper conductor.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said aperture unit comprises at least one first aperture device and at least one second aperture device, wherein said first aperture device has at least one first aperture opening, wherein said second aperture device has at least one second aperture opening, and wherein said first aperture device is separated from said second aperture device with a distance between said first aperture device and said second aperture device. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein said first aperture device is moveable relative to said second aperture device in a step-like manner. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , further comprising at least one of the following features:
 (i) said first aperture opening is an aperture for imaging of an object with a particle beam;   (ii) said second aperture opening is an aperture for imaging of an object with a particle beam;   (iii) said first aperture opening is an aperture for illuminating an object with a particle beam; or   (iv) said second aperture opening is an aperture for illuminating an object with a particle beam.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one of the following features:
 (i) said aperture unit is made at least partially from a material having an atomic number less than 13 or equal to 13, or   (ii) said aperture unit comprises beryllium.   
     
     
         16 . A particle beam device, comprising:
 at least one beam generator for generating a particle beam;   at least one holding element for holding an object;   at least one objective lens for imaging or focussing said particle beam; and   at least one apparatus for contaminants being deposited thereon, wherein said apparatus comprises at least one cooling unit, at least one aperture unit, and at least one motion device for moving said aperture unit relative to said cooling unit, wherein said aperture unit is arranged at the motion device, wherein said aperture unit has at least one aperture opening, and wherein said cooling unit is connected to said aperture unit by at least one first flexible thermal conductor.   
     
     
         17 . The particle beam device according to  claim 16 , wherein said apparatus is arranged in the objective lens. 
     
     
         18 . The particle beam device according to  claim 16 , further comprising one of the following:
 (i) said motion device is arranged at a flange, wherein said flange is arranged on a vacuum chamber;   (ii) said aperture unit and said motion device are arranged at a flange, wherein said flange is arranged on a vacuum chamber;   (iii) said cooling unit and said motion device are arranged at a flange, wherein said flange is arranged on a vacuum chamber; or   (iv) said cooling unit, said motion device and said aperture unit are arranged at a flange, wherein said flange is arranged on a vacuum chamber.   
     
     
         19 . The particle beam device according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a cooling system for cooling an object.   
     
     
         20 . The particle beam device according to  claim 16 , wherein said particle beam device is an electron beam device or an ion beam device. 
     
     
         21 . An apparatus for contaminants being deposited thereon in a particle beam device, comprising:
 at least one cooling unit;   at least one aperture unit; and   at least one motion device for moving said aperture unit relative to the cooling unit, wherein said aperture unit is arranged at the motion device, wherein said aperture unit has at least one aperture opening, and wherein said cooling unit is directly connected to said aperture unit by at least one first flexible thermal conductor.   
     
     
         22 . A particle beam device, comprising:
 at least one beam generator for generating a particle beam;   at least one holding element for holding an object;   at least one objective lens for imaging or focusing said particle beam; and   at least one apparatus for contaminants being deposited thereon, wherein said apparatus comprises at least one cooling unit, at least one aperture unit, and at least one motion device for moving said aperture unit relative to said cooling unit, wherein said aperture unit is arranged at the motion device, wherein said aperture unit has at least one aperture opening, and wherein said cooling unit is directly connected to said aperture unit by at least one first flexible thermal conductor.   
     
     
         23 . An apparatus for contaminants being deposited thereon in a particle beam device, comprising:
 at least one cooling unit;   at least one aperture unit; and   at least one motion device for moving said aperture unit relative to the cooling unit, wherein said aperture unit is arranged at the motion device, wherein said aperture unit has at least one aperture opening, and wherein at least one first flexible thermal conductor is arranged at said cooling unit and said aperture unit.   
     
     
         24 . A particle beam device, comprising:
 at least one beam generator for generating a particle beam;   at least one holding element for holding an object;   at least one objective lens for imaging or focusing said particle beam; and   at least one apparatus for contaminants being deposited thereon, wherein said apparatus comprises at least one cooling unit, at least one aperture unit, and at least one motion device for moving said aperture unit relative to said cooling unit, wherein said aperture unit is arranged at the motion device, wherein said aperture unit has at least one aperture opening, and wherein at least one first flexible thermal conductor is arranged at said cooling unit and said aperture unit.